Sheffield's Direct Shop and Sew to close after 44 years 'due to cycle scheme' prompting retirement
Some local businesses say the project is affecting access and harming trade
Pauline Crawley is closing Direct Shop and Sew, on Attercliffe Road, after 44 years.
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The business is set to shut by the end of August, or earlier if all stock is sold.
Pauline said she had brought forward her retirement due to construction of a cycle route through the village.
She had lobbied for better off-street parking to ensure clients could easily access the store, but no adequate solutions were provided.
She said: “I have had enough, the council has ground me down and forced me into closing the shop and retirement.”
Customers attending workshops bring heavy sewing and embroidery equipment, making accessible parking essential, she added.
But a proposal for a loading bay around the corner was unsuitable.
Sheffield City Council says it is installing a loading bay on Attercliffe Road close to the business following feedback from Mrs Crawley.
The authority is constructing a segregated two-mile route bike lane from the city centre to the Arena as part of a £23m scheme announced in 2024.
More than a mile of double red lines through Attercliffe will ban parking, loading and waiting 24-hours a day, backed by a fine.
The aim is to prevent the new bike lane from being blocked by cars, and speed up buses.
Some businesses, led by Attercliffe Action Group, say the work - including making Attercliffe Road one-way temporarily - is harming trade. And the cycle lane and double reds will permanently affect access.
Ahmir Hussain, of Attercliffe Action Group, said: “It's disheartening to hear that Pauline's countless efforts to work with the council and planners to improve accessibility for her customers were largely met with indifference.
“Direct Shop and Sew has been much more than a retail space. It's been a vibrant hub for the sewing and knitting community, hosting regular workshops in embroidery, dressmaking, and tailoring-areas traditionally embraced by women.
“The shop's reputation has gone far beyond the local area, even drawing attendees from places as distant as Sweden and the Isle of Skye.”
Sheffield City Council said it changed its designs to incorporate feedback from Mrs Crawley, including plans for a loading bay on Attercliffe Road near her premises. Work is due to start in summer.
Contractor Amey visited her in April and she expressed concerns about parking spaces outside her shop, which are not council owned, can be heavily used during peak times due to the Post Office next door, the authority added.
A city council spokesperson said: “Our investment is aimed at transforming Attercliffe. It is regenerating into a fantastic neighbourhood where more people will be able to live, work and enjoy.
“This includes thousands of new homes being built at projects like Attercliffe Waterside, these transport improvements to the high street will help the area adapt and grow as more and more people move into the area in the coming years.
“We have been working with businesses in Attercliffe to reduce the impact on them, during the construction of the project, as well as reviewing if changes can be made to the permanent scheme to improve delivery access, customer parking and accessibility throughout the area.”
On-street parking is available on nearby side roads including Vicarage Road, Bootle Street and Leeds Road, and several council-owned car parks were close by, with the nearest being on Zion Lane and Bodmin Street, they added.